FIELD READER
I wanted a small reader I could pick up without reaching for my phone or laptop. Something simple enough to carry around, load with my own text and control with one hand. I had a 2.9-inch e-paper display and an ESP32-C3, so I started building one around them.
First version
The basic reader came together around the e-paper display and a rotary encoder. Turning the dial moves through menus and text, while clicking it handles most of the controls. I designed and 3D printed an enclosure around the electronics and used it for a while to see what actually worked. It did the main thing I wanted it to do, but using it properly showed me where the small problems were.
What changed
I kept working on the interface, page movement, display behaviour and button controls, then added things like wireless text upload, reading and display options, a few tools and a small secondary screen for status information. The enclosure changed with it. There is now a battery, controller boards, encoder and quite a lot of wiring packed inside, which is partly why I kept the case transparent. I liked being able to see some of what was going on rather than hiding everything once it worked. It is still a prototype, and there are things I would change if I built another one. But it has become something I actually use, which was really the point.
